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I get it guys. He's a knuckleballer. Even Knuckleballers regress. If his armspeed loses a tick or two he can't throw his nasty offspeed stuff which compliments his knuckler so well with the same mph differential.

Look at the Randy Johnson deal, who pitched just as well (if not better) into his 40s. Compare that to what the Mets will get and you have comparable circumstances. I'm sure teams are pointing at that deal as the blueprint.

I'd much rather get a single top prospect for Dickey than 2 or 3 middle of the road guys.

That's ideal. Maybe a second tier prospect, someone with high upside would work.

Mets fans should all hope that a team who wants to make a run (1-2 year window) gives up the farm for him but the Yankees were in a similar situation and gave up Javy Vazquez, Navarro (then a B level prospect), Halsley (young, cost-controlled 5th starter), and cash (8-10 million).

The fact that Alderson apparently asked the Red Sox for Xander Bogaerts and Jackie Bradley gives you an indication of how he is pricing Dickey . . sky high. I think he has the right idea. If he can't get an outstanding return for R.A., keep him.

Edit: Or are you asking how we get David Price from the Rays for Dickey?

The Mets have a load of pitching in the pipeline. The have a solid infield. The have 5 quality SP already under control for 2013. They really only need to move one SP for a quality starting OF, freeing up a spot in that rotation for Wheeler, and they'll be competing by 2014.

Obviously they need to fix the bullpen as well, but they can do most of that with the young arms that don't make the rotation.

The Mets have a load of pitching in the pipeline. The have a solid infield. The have 5 quality SP already under control for 2013. They really only need to move one SP for a quality starting OF, freeing up a spot in that rotation for Wheeler, and they'll be competing by 2014.

Obviously they need to fix the bullpen as well, but they can do most of that with the young arms that don't make the rotation.

I get it guys. He's a knuckleballer. Even Knuckleballers regress. If his armspeed loses a tick or two he can't throw his nasty offspeed stuff which compliments his knuckler so well with the same mph differential.

Look at the Randy Johnson deal, who pitched just as well (if not better) into his 40s. Compare that to what the Mets will get and you have comparable circumstances. I'm sure teams are pointing at that deal as the blueprint.

Looking at the data that we have, R.A. Dickey averaged 77.2 MPH on the 2,802 knuckleballs he threw in 2012. This is roughly 1 MPH faster than he averaged in 2011 (76 MPH), and roughly 1.5 MPH faster than what he averaged in 2010 (75.8 MPH). As Dickey has aged into his late 30s as a full-time knuckleball pitcher, his average velocity on his knuckleballs has actually increased, not decreased, while the maximum speed on his fast knuckleball stayed virtually the same (~83 MPH). So, in other words, he’s been throwing his faster knuckleballs more often, resulting in his average knuckleball velocity increasing. Looking at results, there was a slight but noticeable increase in his K/9 rate (5.37 in 2010, and 5.78 in 2011) when his average knuckleball velocity was up a fraction of a MPH (.2 MPH), and then a much more notable increase in 2012, when he was throwing the fastest knuckleballs of his career (8.86 K/9). As Jim Bouton has said about Dickey’s knuckleball, "If you're throwing 80 MPH, it only needs to break two inches."

Unlike Tim Wakefield, R.A. Dickey has groundball rate that is high enough that it actually places him among the top percentile (19/132) of groundball rates from 2010 to the present for qualifying pitchers. Our intrepid Pitch f/x expert interpreter garik16 was kind enough to dissect and share some of R.A.’s numbers for most of the 2012 season (splitting things into velocity ranges). Looking at two numbers, R.A. Dickey’s swinging strike and ground ball rates.

So, all in all, while it is unlikely that R.A. Dickey pitch that the elite level that he did in 2012, age and the concerns that come with it do not seem to present significant barriers to his ability to pitch at the above-average level he performed at in 2010 and 2011, or even a generic "league average"in the near future.

"You don't know how to drink. Your whole generation, you drink for the wrong reasons. My generation, we drink because it's good, because it feels better than unbuttoning your collar, because we deserve it. We drink because it's what men do."

Team officials obviously will make the decision based on how aggressive other teams bid. So no one can say for sure.

Still, one team insider reiterated what was predicted to ESPNNewYork.com entering the winter meetings: Unless the Mets are absolutely bowled over by an offer, they will stand pat with their rotation -- Dickey, Johan Santana, Jonathon Niese, Matt Harvey and Dillon Gee.

Sandy Alderson said publicly Monday that he wants a "difference-maker" in return if he traded Dickey.

A team insider elaborated that the Mets have all eyes on 2014, when Santana will be off the books (and only some Jason Bay deferred money will still be owed). Also that season, Zack Wheeler should have joined Harvey in the rotation. The person pledged the Mets would be far more active in free agency next offseason, heading into '14.

The Mets do not want a trade return for Dickey that would primarily help in 2013. They could just keep Dickey if the primary interest was on next season. Instead, the Mets want a safe bet to seriously contribute in 2014. And if they did swing a trade, the source added, they want the other organization to seriously overpay.

That said, the Mets are not positive they can sign Dickey to an extension. While it is being portrayed that Dickey only seeks a two-year deal on top of the existing $5 million owed in 2013, a team insider said that's not how it is being communicated to the organization right now. Or, the source added, right now it is three years worth of money being sought.

"You don't know how to drink. Your whole generation, you drink for the wrong reasons. My generation, we drink because it's good, because it feels better than unbuttoning your collar, because we deserve it. We drink because it's what men do."

I get it guys. He's a knuckleballer. Even Knuckleballers regress. If his armspeed loses a tick or two he can't throw his nasty offspeed stuff which compliments his knuckler so well with the same mph differential.

Look at the Randy Johnson deal, who pitched just as well (if not better) into his 40s. Compare that to what the Mets will get and you have comparable circumstances. I'm sure teams are pointing at that deal as the blueprint.

What makes RA unique is his ability to throw knucklers at different speeds. That won't change "if his armspeed loses a tick or two."

There's every reason to believe RA will remain in his prime for at least the next 5 seasons. As for regressing, he was supposed to have regressed almost from the moment he got here.

"You don't know how to drink. Your whole generation, you drink for the wrong reasons. My generation, we drink because it's good, because it feels better than unbuttoning your collar, because we deserve it. We drink because it's what men do."

"You don't know how to drink. Your whole generation, you drink for the wrong reasons. My generation, we drink because it's good, because it feels better than unbuttoning your collar, because we deserve it. We drink because it's what men do."

"You don't know how to drink. Your whole generation, you drink for the wrong reasons. My generation, we drink because it's good, because it feels better than unbuttoning your collar, because we deserve it. We drink because it's what men do."